JL #83

Jaylin Lane

Wide Receiver · Virginia Tech

A speedster who turned punt returns into rookie-year touchdowns before injury cut his season short.

Jaylin Lane transferred from Middle Tennessee State to Virginia Tech and turned himself into one of the most explosive athletes in the 2025 draft class. Washington used a fourth-round pick on him, and while his receiving role stayed limited as a rookie, he became a genuine home-run threat on special teams.

★ Fourth-round pick (No. 128 overall) in the 2025 NFL Draft

★ First rookie since Desmond Howard (1992) with a punt-return touchdown

★ Two punt-return touchdowns as a rookie in 2025

Path to the league

Lane began his college career at Middle Tennessee State before transferring to Virginia Tech ahead of the 2023 season. In his final year with the Hokies in 2024, he caught 38 passes for 466 yards, added 216 rushing yards and scored on the ground, through the air and on a punt return. Washington drafted him with the 128th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Career highlights

Lane stood out at the NFL Combine, ranking near the top of the wide receiver class in the 40-yard dash, vertical jump, broad jump and 20-yard shuttle. That elite short-area burst translated directly into his role as a return specialist at the next level.

2025 season recap

As a rookie, Lane caught 16 passes for 225 yards across 15 games before a late-season injury landed him on injured reserve ahead of Week 17. He made his biggest impact as a returner, racking up 314 yards and two touchdowns on 23 punt returns, including a 90-yard return that tied a franchise record and made him the first rookie since Desmond Howard in 1992 with a punt-return touchdown.